For almost one year I worked on designing a solar powered UAV capable of theoretical perpetual flight so I have an in depth knowledge of multi-disciplinary optimization since you have to individually make each part efficient and as a system too. But sadly the project stalled due to lack of funds. I hope I'm able to pursue it further sometime in future.

I have worked extensively in Aircraft CFD analysis and control systems (way point navigation). I have been working on these domains exclusively since the past 3 years.

I have worked on multiple autopilot systems and have designed completely autonomous multi-copters. I have also worked on aircraft design and completely constructed a 4-axis CNC machine for foam cutting (airframes) and test rigs with my mates here.

I've been in talks with Wayne Garris and hopefully we'll soon be working together on the next techpod along with the complete drone community. (if the design becomes open source)

Really excited about this, would be a great learning opportunity working withprofessionals like Wayne.

Hey Karen, very nice! the bottom one, is that the solar power design you were talking about? whats the WS on the others so I can have some sense of scale? I will start a group here and post the files there for the time until some infrastructure is figured out.

Hi Karen, I smell the start of great things:) The bottom pic is a great rendering but the other 2 is great as well - bottom one of the real planes looks like a Rutan design. It's amazing what you can achieve with limited resources if the will is strong enough - what are you shaping the fuselages with? Keep it up.

I like the way Wayne is steering this - seems to have good direction now.

A few months back we used to have a bow shaped hot wire cutter, we made templates and then we made the wings and the fuse. We sanded these to get the required finish. The designs weren't really accurate with this method So, we made a hot wire CNC of our own. Things have become way easier now.
We recently made our own 3D printer too.

I like the A-Tail, I just converted my Skyhunter so that I can transport it easily and pack it nicely back into the original box. I mounted my XPS RFU diversity receiver (http://www.xtremepowersystems.net/proddetail.php?prod=XPS-RFU) in the tail with the 2 antenna wires in a 90 degree angle with an X10 channel expander

Inverted V tail/ A tail has some really interesting characteristics. The first is tip vorticity reduction. A traditional tail is responsible for at least 3 vorticies, a standard V at least 2, and an inverted V almost none.

Each halve acts similarly to a winglet, for the other half, which in turn reduces the tip vorticity at the center.

Inverted V has better yaw authority, and is more capable of coordinated turns. As the plane banks, the inner half of the V becomes more vertical, helping reduce slip. Also, as the plane banks, the outer half now acts more efficiently as an elevator. These two effects help maintain a constant speed, constant altitude, coordinated turn.